Chapter 12

"Do you sell Japanese swords here?"

"No, young master, but you can look at the kitchen knives I forge — just as good for hacking men or meat."

"Never mind, thank you!"

Chen Xin, with Hai Gouzi and Zhang Erhui, emerged from an iron-smithy by the south gate. Liu Minyou had taken the other two and was working the north gate area, also searching for a Japanese sword shop. Yesterday, after bidding farewell to Dai Tiezi and the others, they had entered Tianjin through the Anxi Gate and spent the whole day in the city, searching the entire time.

As they walked, Zhang Erhui asked Chen Xin, "Brother Chen, are Japanese swords really that good? We've been searching all day. Why not just buy kitchen knives instead?"

Chen Xin said, "You think I'm buying one to hack people? What I'm looking for is the shop itself."

Hai Gouzi said, "Could it be that the shopkeeper has silver, and you're taking us to swindle him out of a sum?"

Chen Xin chuckled, "There's silver, but it's not in the shop. Just do as I say. Whether we can eat meat every day from now on depends on this."

Zhang Erhui swallowed his saliva and agreed. The three continued asking along the street, and finally someone told them that a few fan-selling shops to the east might carry them.

Chen Xin checked the sun — it was already past noon. He immediately led the two back to the crossroads and, as agreed, met Liu Minyou beneath the bell and drum tower. Liu Minyou was drenched in sweat and blurted out the moment he saw them, "Looking for this Japanese sword of yours, my feet have swollen from walking. All I found out is that shops selling Japanese fans and dried seafood in the east city might have them. I still have no idea what you actually want this thing for."

Chen Xin flicked open the folding fan he had bought and diligently fanned Liu Minyou, saying, "Much obliged, much obliged. It's just that I've come to think what you said makes sense. I plan to rent a place in Tianjin, settle down, and then do some business. What do you think?"

"Huh? Are you serious this time? And what does that have to do with a Japanese sword shop?"

Chen Xin wore a faint smile. "Of course I'm serious. Seeing that Japanese sword yesterday reminded me — the Japan sea trade in this era is very profitable. I want to first look into what kinds of Japanese goods there are. Our capital is small, so we'll decide after we've looked carefully. I've thought it through: Tianjin has the Grand Canal and sea routes. Even if the Tatars or bandits come, we just take a boat and flee. Let's settle here first and do a little business."

Liu Minyou was originally a homebody. Since arriving in the Great Ming, he had been drifting every day and found it very hard to adapt. In his heart, he had never really wanted to go to Jiangnan and preferred to stay in Tianjin. He immediately agreed in rapid succession, "Great, I've been saying this kind of wandering around is no solution. We need to settle down and do some business. Hai Gouzi and the others can help too. Let's go, we'll head to the east city now."

Chen Xin hurriedly held him back, urging, "Let's eat first. No rush, we have plenty of time."

So the group found a restaurant and filled their stomachs. Liu Minyou was unbearably impatient and kept urging everyone to eat faster.

Hai Gouzi and the others had barely finished one bowl of rice before Liu Minyou pressured them so relentlessly that they had no choice but to grab the remaining rice from their second bowls in their hands, stuffing it into their mouths as they walked. Liu Minyou led the way down East Gate Street, asking as he went, and finally found two shops selling Japanese dried seafood near the Confucian Temple.

The Tianjin Confucian Temple covered a broad area, with memorial archways built on either side of the spirit screen. Liu Minyou had no interest in sightseeing and dragged Chen Xin straight toward the dried seafood shop. Inside, there was the distinct fishy smell of seafood, and some Japanese-style folding fans hung on display, making it look quite like a Japanese goods specialty store. A notice was posted at the door, reading: "Hiring one Accountant. Monthly wage: two taels of silver. Board and lodging self-provided."

Chen Xin let out an "Oh!" and laughed. "Isn't this tailor-made for me? I'm an expert at interviews. Minyou, come inside with me. Hai Gouzi, you all wait outside, a bit farther away."

Liu Minyou grabbed hold of him and asked, "Didn't you say you wanted to do business? Why are you applying to be an accountant?"

Chen Xin said, "Haven't we never done business before? And our specializations don't match. I plan to first intern at a Japanese products specialty store to prepare for starting our own venture later. Our capital is small, so this is more secure. What do you think?"

Liu Minyou thought it over. In any case, as long as they settled in Tianjin first, what they did could always be changed later. He nodded in agreement and followed Chen Xin inside.

Inside sat a shopkeeper, also wearing a melon-rind cap, his small eyes darting about, with a wispy mouse-whisker beard on his chin. Seeing the two were decently dressed, he hurried over to greet them, clasping his fists. "Are you two young masters looking to buy Japanese goods? For dried seafood, we have sea cucumbers, squid, and shark fin. Folding fans and Japanese swords are also available. In all of Tianjin Garrison, my shop has the most complete stock and the lowest prices."

Chen Xin also clasped his fists and said, "Greetings, Shopkeeper. I am here to apply for the accountant position. Is it still vacant?"

The shopkeeper seemed not to have expected this. His eyes darted around for a moment before he said, "It hasn't been filled yet, but the proprietor is not in today. If you wish to apply, you may come back the day after tomorrow."

Chen Xin could hardly just leave like that; he had to probe for some information.

"This junior is from Liaodong. I once passed the Licentiate examination, but my hometown was overrun by the Tatars. Since entering the Pass, I have relied on the support of relatives and friends, living under others' roofs, always hoping to earn my own keep. Shopkeeper, with your kind and benevolent face, one can tell at a glance that you are good-hearted. I hope you will not stint in giving this junior some guidance. Whether I succeed or not, I will surely repay you in the future." In one breath, Chen Xin had recast the shifty-eyed shopkeeper's image.

Sure enough, flattery never misses. A smile crept onto the shopkeeper's gaunt face. "You young fellow certainly know how to talk. Seeing that you have the will to earn your own keep, I shall give you a little guidance. In truth, this accountant position is nothing more than three-column bookkeeping. You must know writing, the abacus, and the four-column inventory ledger. None of it is particularly difficult. Since you passed the Licentiate exam, it should be well within your ability."

Liu Minyou's heart sank as he listened. Among those skills, writing was not a major problem. Although he had never studied traditional characters, he recognized the numerals, and the shop's inventory was not extensive — he could learn it in a day. But the abacus and whatever this four-column ledger was would be trouble.

Chen Xin still wore that genial, friendly smile and said calmly to the shopkeeper, "This junior's surname is Chen, given name Xin. My father's generation was also in trade, so I have studied all these things to some degree, even mental calculation. It's just that with the passage of time, I've inevitably grown rusty. This junior's natural talent is not high; my sole virtue is that, like you, my elder, I am honest and kind-hearted. I hope you, my elder, will put in a few good words for me before the proprietor. This junior will certainly treat you with the rites due a teacher."

The shopkeeper had been at this shop for quite some time and held considerable standing. The previous accountant had gone to Jingshi to join relatives, and recently the shopkeeper had been handling the accounting duties himself. Seeing that Chen Xin spoke properly and showed him great respect, and that he likely would not threaten his own position, the shopkeeper inwardly approved of Chen Xin taking the accountant post by a large margin.

He twisted a few of his mouse whiskers and nodded at Chen Xin. "So you come from a merchant family line — even better. This notice has been posted for several days, and a few people have come, but the proprietor was not very satisfied with any of them. The proprietor is pressed for time and has been urging that this be settled within the next few days. To my eyes, you seem the most agreeable. Come the day after tomorrow. In the meantime, as I said before, prepare yourself well."

Chen Xin immediately bowed deeply from the waist, emotion springing forth as if on cue, his voice choked with feeling. "Many thanks, my elder. When this junior traveled from Liaodong to Tianjin, a fortune-teller said I would surely meet a benefactor who would aid me. Among all I have met, only you, sir, have treated me with the greatest kindness. This shows that you, sir, are that benefactor. If this junior achieves anything in the future, it will all be thanks to your generosity. This junior is so bold, but I still do not know your honorable surname."

The shopkeeper found Chen Xin more and more agreeable the longer he looked. His small eyes crinkled into a smile. "The title 'sir' I dare not accept. My humble surname is Cai."

At that moment, two more customers entered the doorway. The shop assistant went forward to receive them, and Shopkeeper Cai also glanced over a few times.

Seeing this, Chen Xin attentively bowed again and said, "To teach and resolve doubts — that is precisely worthy of the title 'sir.' This junior felt an instant affinity with you, sir, but I must not delay your work here. If you are free this evening, would you do me the honor of letting this junior play host and seek your guidance in person?" Lowering his voice, he said to Shopkeeper Cai, "Since this junior has acknowledged you as his teacher, I will certainly set aside one month's wages each year as a small token of my regard. Please, sir, you must not refuse."

Although the shopkeeper's usual income was decent, he held little status in the outside world. Seeing Chen Xin's respectful attitude, he naturally enjoyed this treatment very much, and in his heart he also coveted that one month's wages. He immediately nodded and said, "Since you address me as teacher, I shall not stand on ceremony with you. Come back to the shop a little later this evening, and I will explain everything to you in detail."

From the moment they entered, Liu Minyou had been unable to get a single word in. Watching the two of them exchange false pleasantries, growing remarkably warm in less than ten minutes, he could only marvel at Chen Xin's ability to talk to anyone and spin whatever tale was needed — a skill Liu Minyou knew he could never match. The two of them then bowed, took their leave, and withdrew.

The moment they were outside, Liu Minyou said anxiously to Chen Xin, "This abacus and four-column whatever — how could you possibly know them? The day after tomorrow you still have to face the proprietor for an interview. Aren't you afraid of making a fool of yourself?"

"Not afraid. Don't we still have two days? I'll just learn it. How hard can it be?"

Liu Minyou was still not entirely reassured. "And how much use is treating this shopkeeper to a meal? It's the proprietor who makes the decision. Spending this money probably isn't worth it."

"In marketing and public relations terms, this shopkeeper is an informant role. If we secure this person, we can influence the proprietor's decision. From what I see now, this shopkeeper is a rookie informant — very easy to handle. Besides, he's the shopkeeper. If I really do go work there, I'll be dealing with him a lot. This money won't be wasted."

Hearing Chen Xin put it that way, Liu Minyou's anxious heart eased a little. The two of them found Hai Gouzi and the others outside the Confucian Temple, wandered around the area, and found a restaurant called "Zhenyan Lou" that looked good and was moderately priced. They booked a private room on the second floor, then found a nearby inn and booked lodgings, telling Hai Gouzi and the others to eat at the inn that evening.

Since it was still early, the two of them sat together in their room and tallied their silver. They still had one hundred and seven taels — the entire fruit of their swindling and fraud. By current standards, the wages of ordinary hired laborers in Jingshi ranged from five to twenty wen of standard coin. Government laborers sometimes earned five fen of silver a day, but that was for short-term work. There were also those who ran small businesses, whose income was slightly higher but generally did not exceed thirty taels. So this hundred-plus taels was already a considerable fortune.

Chen Xin took out the odd seven taels in loose silver to keep on his person for incidental expenses. The rest he wrapped into two bundles, one for each of them to carry. Chen Xin then called over Zhang Dahui and his brother, along with Wang Daixi, gave them five qian of silver, and told the three of them to go buy ten jin of pork and ten jin of white flour.

After finishing these tasks, Chen Xin had originally planned to go check on Dai Zhenggang and his group, but Liu Minyou disagreed, telling Chen Xin to seriously study his professional knowledge. Chen Xin thought it over and agreed. Dai Zhenggang's crew wouldn't recover from their injuries in just a short while; there would be time after the job application matter was settled.

So the two of them went downstairs, gave two qian of silver to the innkeeper, and began learning three-column bookkeeping. The exact origin of three-column bookkeeping is unclear, but it came into widespread use after the mid-Ming period. Compared to the long-used single-entry method, it incorporated ideas from both single-entry and double-entry accounting. As for the bookkeeping itself, Ming dynasty account books came in two standard types: one with printed grids and one without, both printed and sold by book merchants. The writing format was essentially the same — the upper part of each page recorded incoming accounts, the lower part outgoing accounts.

Some businesses used only a daily ledger, while others divided it into three types: goods ledgers, silver ledgers, and transaction ledgers. The recording methods for transfers and cash transactions differed slightly, but overall it was still running-account bookkeeping, so it did not count as a particularly special skill. For two white-collar workers who had seen countless complex spreadsheets, it truly was not difficult. And the four-column inventory ledger, put simply, was just a settlement method: "Old Balance" plus "New Receipts" minus "Disbursements" equals "Actual Balance." Settlements were generally made once every ten days or half a month based on the recorded ledgers.

Two qian of silver could buy seven or eight jin of pork. The innkeeper, having nothing else to do, was happy to earn this bit of extra income. The two of them grasped the principles very quickly, but as soon as they tried to put them into practice, the trouble began: one problem was the writing brush, the other was the abacus.

Chen Xin had practiced calligraphy with a brush as a child and could still write a little — not too unsightly, but very slow. The abacus was an even bigger headache. The innkeeper was unwilling, no matter what, to lend it to them for practice, saying it would be disrespectful to the God of Wealth. He would only recite abacus calculation rhymes, which Chen Xin meticulously recorded. But without practice, learning was impossible. In the end, after much pleading and persuasion, the innkeeper agreed to bring an old abacus from home for the two of them that evening.

The two practiced and wrote, and before they knew it, the hour of Shen had passed. Having been here for these days, they had gained some experience in telling time. They picked up the meat and flour they had bought. When it was time to leave, Wang Daixi was extremely reluctant to let go; Chen Xin had to tug several times before he released it. Then Chen Xin went to fetch Shopkeeper Cai, while Liu Minyou took the goods directly to Zhenyan Lou first.

When Liu Minyou entered the restaurant, a waiter came to greet and attend to him. The ground floor was already packed with guests, cups raised and exchanged. The shop assistants bustled back and forth, the shopkeeper continuously shouted out orders for dishes, and from the kitchen came a constant clatter and clang, the aroma of oil and food permeating the main hall. Liu Minyou disliked noisy crowds, so he did not linger but went straight into the private room he had booked on the second floor. He had the waiter recite the menu and began to order.

Ever since crossing over, they had eaten every meal in restaurants and inns. Liu Minyou was now thoroughly familiar with the prices. Ordering a fairly sumptuous table of dishes cost no more than three or four qian of silver. When the six of them were economizing on ordinary days, ordering fewer meat dishes, a single meal cost only a few fen of silver.

After hearing the prices, Liu Minyou ordered several meat dishes: iced duck, stir-fried young beef, smoked pork ribs, plus two fresh vegetable dishes, a green plum soup, and for drinks, one jin of Jinan's Autumn White Dew wine and a pot of green-leaf tea.

With these matters settled, Liu Minyou stood by the window to see if Chen Xin and the other had arrived. It was now the evening meal hour. Cooking smoke rose from all quarters of the city. Men returned home, and the sounds of women calling their children in from play were unceasing. Liu Minyou watched a small courtyard across from the restaurant below, where a man dressed as a scholar entered his home. A pair of children threw themselves into his arms, chattering away ceaselessly as they clung to him. A woman walked up with a smile and used a kerchief to brush the dust from the man's clothes.

Liu Minyou stood there smiling as he watched that family play and eat in their courtyard, until Chen Xin and Shopkeeper Cai appeared on the street. Chen Xin walked half a step behind, his head slightly lowered, chatting warmly with Shopkeeper Cai as they walked. The two of them would occasionally burst into laughter, looking for all the world like old friends of many years.

Once the two entered the private room, Chen Xin introduced Liu Minyou to Shopkeeper Cai, saying Liu Minyou was his maternal cousin. The three chatted and laughed. When the dishes were all served and the wine had gone three rounds, Chen Xin again diligently urged more drinks and told a few off-color jokes. Shopkeeper Cai burst into hearty laughter several times, and the atmosphere became extremely congenial.

Shopkeeper Cai's ears were slightly red as he cradled his wine cup and said, "When one speaks of Autumn White Dew, one usually thinks of tea. Who would have known that Jinan's Autumn White Dew wine is also so sweet, crisp, and refreshing?"

Chen Xin immediately chimed in agreement, "This wine is indeed good, but it also requires a drinker who knows how to appreciate it. If you gave it to some brute in the fields, wouldn't he just drink it like rice gruel?"

Shopkeeper Cai chuckled, "Naturally, naturally. But take the wine of that Japanese country — it's so light and bland, you really could treat it as rice gruel without any harm."

Chen Xin's eyes lit up, and he flattered him: "So Shopkeeper Cai has even been to the Japanese country. The customs of that foreign land must be exceedingly strange, I imagine?"

Shopkeeper Cai's face filled with longing, his eyes gleaming: "I went there twice with the proprietor. The common households in Japan cannot compare to our Great Ming — best not to speak of them. But the well-to-do families are different. Their women use some kind of Southern Ocean spice, perfuming their clothes and hair with it. One application and the fragrance lingers on the body for a month without fading. When they serve tea, they even dab a little behind the ear…" Riding the wine, Shopkeeper Cai gestured beside his ear, his expression one of endless savoring.

Chen Xin grinned and picked up the thread: "Then wouldn't those Japanese women go a whole month without bathing? Once they take off their clothes, they'd surely stink."

Shopkeeper Cai froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.

Liu Minyou hurriedly refilled Shopkeeper Cai's cup and pressed several more drinks on him, until Shopkeeper Cai's whole face was flushed red.

At that point, Chen Xin reported to Shopkeeper Cai on the afternoon's study insights. Shopkeeper Cai nodded repeatedly as he listened, thumped his chest, and guaranteed: "The proprietor returns tomorrow. You come the morning after. With me putting in a good word, this matter will certainly succeed."

Chen Xin thanked him profusely, diligently serving him food and toasting him with wine.

Shopkeeper Cai narrowed his eyes and looked at Chen Xin again: "The moment I saw you, young man, I felt an affinity. I can rest easy having you as the account-keeper. You should know that an ordinary account-keeper gets no more than one tael of silver a month. You're in luck — the proprietor needs someone urgently and set it at two taels a month. Though it can't compare to the great wealthy houses, achieving modest comfort is not difficult. For now, it's like this. Once you've been here a long while, I'll speak on your behalf before the proprietor again, and three or four taels a month won't be out of reach."

Chen Xin said hurriedly: "It is all thanks to your great kindness, sir. Two taels a month is already a great deal. This junior does not seek that much for now. As long as I can earn my own keep, I am content."…

Shopkeeper Cai listened and nodded: "A man ought to earn his own keep. You said earlier that you were living under someone else's roof with relatives. Are those relatives from Tianjin?"

"This junior's relatives are from Jizhou. Since entering the Pass, they have been in Jizhou. This junior's ancestral home is in Zhejiang. My relative has been away from home a long time and often yearns for his native place, but because he is too fat and finds travel inconvenient, he gave me some travel funds to go see the old home, and also to look around for any suitable work I might find. That is how I came to Tianjin."

Shopkeeper Cai suddenly understood: "Oh, so your relative is one who cherishes old ties. In that case, if you become the account-keeper, you may as well buy a residence in Tianjin. When the time comes, I will help you find a household to register under, and you will be considered to have established your own household."

Liu Minyou, who had originally been unable to afford a house in Tianjin and had been in constant conflict with his girlfriend, got a headache the moment he heard Shopkeeper Cai's suggestion. He shook his head: "We don't have much silver on us — how could we afford a house? We plan to rent a place first and think about it later."

Shopkeeper Cai thought it over and nodded: "True, this matter cannot be rushed. You would need to work for three or two years and save twenty or thirty taels of silver first."

"Yes, sir, you are right… Wait, sir, how much silver did you just say?! T-t-twenty or thirty taels of silver?! Not a down payment?"

Shopkeeper Cai said as a matter of course: "It's enough to buy a small courtyard with three or four rooms. If it comes with a shop front, it would cost a few taels more. You two need not worry. If you find other work, you can have your cousin join in. Those twenty or thirty taels can be earned in just a year or two. If you two families live together, you'd need to save for another year or two and buy one with seven or eight rooms."

Shopkeeper Cai rambled to the end, took a sip of wine for himself, set down his cup, and looked again — only to see Chen and Liu with their mouths hanging wide open, staring at him dumbstruck. He hurriedly felt his own face and asked in astonishment: "What play are you two putting on here?"